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Felis chaus
– Least Concern
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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MAMMALIA
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Order:
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CARNIVORA
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Family:
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FELIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Felis chaus
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Species Authority:
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Schreber, 1777
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Common Name/s:
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JUNGLE CAT (Eng)
REED CAT (Eng)
SWAMP CAT (Eng)
CHAT DE JUNGLE (Fre)
CHAT DES MARAIS (Fre)
GATO DE LA JUNGLA (Spa)
GATO DE LOS PANTANOS (Spa)
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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LC ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2002
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Assessor/s:
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Cat Specialist Group
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Evaluator/s:
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Nowell, K., Breitenmoser, U., Breitenmoser, C. & Jackson, P. (Cat Red List Authority)
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Justification:
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Based on estimates of density and geographic range (Nowell and Jackson 1996), the jungle cat’s total effective population size is estimated at greater than 50,000 mature breeding individuals, but with a declining trend due to persecution and degradation of its habitat and prey base.
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History:
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| 1996 | - | Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996) |
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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The jungle cat has an unusually broad range, from Southeast Asia west through India, Southwest and Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and finally into Africa along the Nile River Delta.
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Countries:
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Native:
Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; Cambodia; China; Egypt; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Israel; Jordan; Kyrgyzstan; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Mongolia; Myanmar; Nepal; Pakistan; Russian Federation; Sri Lanka; Syrian Arab Republic; Tajikistan; Thailand; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Uzbekistan; Viet Nam
Regionally extinct:
Kazakhstan
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Population
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Population:
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It is a relatively common species
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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The jungle cat, despite its name, is not strongly associated with closed forest, but rather with water and dense vegetative cover, especially reed swamps, marsh, and littoral and riparian environments. It is able to satisfy these requirements in a variety of habitats, from desert to scrub woodland and dry deciduous forest, as well as cleared areas in moist forest (Nowell and Jackson 1996).
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System:
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Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine
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Threats
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Threats:
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Jungle cats do well in cultivated landscapes (especially those that lead to increased numbers of rodents) and artificial wetlands. However, reclamation and destruction of natural wetlands, ongoing throughout its range but particularly in the arid areas, still pose a threat to the species, as density in natural wetlands is generally higher (Nowell and Jackson 1996). Thousands of jungle cat furs have been confiscated in illegal trade in India (Mukherjee 1998).
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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Included on CITES Appendix II. Hunting is prohibited in Bangladesh, China, India, Israel, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Thailand and Turkey (Nowell and Jackson 1996).
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